Gas tank



y 1935. J. J. HILESENBRAND 2,001,610

GAS TANK Filed Nov. 15, 1955 P atented May 14, 1935 UNITED STATE PATENT1 Claim.

This invention relates to fuel tanks for motor vehicles and moreparticularly to a sediment trap for catching foreign matter andpreventing the latter from passing out with the fuel or returning to themain supply within the tank and has for the primary object the provisionof 'a device of the above stated character which may be easily andquickly opened and partially removed from the tank for cleaning andwhich also provides a cutofi or valve between the trap and the tank.

With these and other objects in view this invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

- For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be hadto the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1is a vertical sectional view illustrating a fuel tank with my inventionapplied thereto.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a combined valveand strainer between the interiors of the fuel tank and the trap.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the 'numeral I indicates a fuel tankthe top wall of which is provided with a filling neck 2 closed by aremovable cap 3. The bottom wall of the tank directly under the fillingneck is offset, as shown at I, and apertm'ed and has mounted" in theaperture an internally threaded bushing 5, the upper face of which isbeveled to form a valve seat 6. Located under the aperture of the tank.and formed integrally with the latter is a bowlshaped receptacle 5'forming a sedimenttrap. The receptacle 5' above its bottom wall isapertured to receive a fitting 6' adapted for connecting an outlet pipe8 to the receptacle. An opening 9 is formed in the bottom wall of therecep- 'tacle 5 directly under the opening in the tank I and has mountedtherein an internally threaded bushing I0 to receive a flanged closureplug II. Interposed between the inner end of the plug II and the bushing5-is a perforated cylinder I2 to form a screen through which the fuel ofthe tank must pass before entering the trap or receptacle 5'. The innerendof the plug II is reduced, as shown at I3, to snugly fit within theend of the cylinder and thereby maintains the latter in proper positionto align with the opening through the bushing 5.

A valve element I4, consisting of a head I5 3 and a cylindrical portionI6 is externally threaded to be threaded in the opening of the bushingand extends above and below said bushing. The cylindrical portion I6 hasapertures I'I and slots I8 extending from said apertures through thelower end of the cylindrical portion I6. An expander I9 is threaded intothe lower end of the cylindrical portion' I6 and when properly adjustedwill wedge the slotted end of the cylindrical portion against the wallsof the opening in the bushing 5. The head I5 is beveled, as shown at 20,and also carries an apertured lug 2| disposed in alignment with thefilling neck 2 of the tank I. The normal position of the valve I4 iswith the apertures I'I disposed above the bushing 5 so that the fuelwithin the tank may enter said apertures and pass through theexpanderand then through the screen into the trap, the foreign matterwhich may be within the fuel of the tank will be caught by the screenand prevented from entering the trap. Should it be desired to turn offthe fuel of the tank tothe trap, a suitable tool may be inserted throughthe filling neck and contacted with the aperture of the lug and thenrotated to position the apertures I'I below the upper surface of thebushing 5 or to be confined entirely within the walls of the opening ofthe bushing. The expander prevents the entire removal of the valve fromthe bushing 5 when turned in a direction to establish communicationbetween the tank and the trap. The removal of the plug I I permits theforeign matter caught by the screen to be easily removed and also it is-to be noted that when the plug I I is removed from the bushing I0 thescreen I2 may also be withdrawn along with the plug, consequentlypermitting the screen to be easily cleaned.

Having described the invention, I claim:

A sediment trap including spaced trap walls having aligned inlet andcleanout openings, internally threaded bushings mounted in saidopenings, a valve seat formed on the bushing of the inlet opening, acleanout plug threaded to the bushing of the cleanout opening and havinga reduced portion defining a seat, a perforated sleeve engaging saidseat at one end with the reduced portion of the plug projecting thereinand having its opposite end abutting the bushing of the inlet opening,an external and internal threaded valve sleeve threaded in the bushingof the inlet opening and having one end closed and tapered to form avalve element for cooperation with the valve seat, said valve sleevehaving openings adjacent the closed end thereof and provided with slotsopening outwardly through the open end thereof, and an aperturedexpanding plug threaded'into the open end of the valve sleeve.

JOHN J. HILDENBRAND.

